as in seldom
not often
summer thunderstorms occur only rarely along the Oregon coast
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of rarely
The decision to restore your hair rarely happens overnight.
—
Wyles Daniel, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
That said, Lawrence and Stone have rarely competed directly in major awards categories.
—Anna Tingley, Variety, 8 Jan. 2026
The issue is rarely the technology itself.
—Katerin Le Folcalvez, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
The threshold is rarely reached.
—Kevin Freking, Denver Post, 8 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for rarely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rarely
seldom
Adverb
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For every project that reaches move-in-ready, there’s a quiet accumulation of aesthetic could-have-beens—saved to virtual mood boards or personal wish lists and seldom revisited.—
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And anything bordering on colonial or Cold War language—protectorate, satellite state, occupied territory, vassal state, provisional government, client—are pretty much non-starters with the foreign policy establishment that knows these things seldom end well for the bigger power.—
Cite this Entry
“Rarely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rarely. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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